Frameless Glass Balustrades

Glass

 The standard glass used on the frameless balustrade systems is 12mm toughened glass although 15mm can be used with different applications. The max width per panel is 1200mm and the max height from the brackets upwards is 1200mm.

The 12mm toughened glass can be described as thermally toughened soda lime silicate safety glass. Toughened safety glass is ideal for bolted structural glazing and frameless applications. Toughened glass meets the safety glass requirements of the South African National Building Regulations and can be obtained from accredited suppliers only.

Toughened glass is produced by heating annealed glass in a furnace to approximately 700ºC and then rapidly blowing cool air onto both surfaces. This rapid cooling process is the key element in the physical changes in annealed glass that creates toughened glass.

Toughened glass are up to 500% stronger than annealed glass and therefore is more resistant to thermal breakage and can withstand greater wind loads. It can break, under extreme loads or by severe impact. On breaking it fragments into many small harmless pieces unlike annealed glass, thus minimising the chance of injury. It can be used within a temperature range of minus 70ºC to plus 300ºC (surface temperature should not exceed 250ºC if other surface is lower than 0ºC ambient)

• Available thickness 3 - 25mm although the frameless balustrade systems use 12mm as a standard.
• Max deflection on standard height of 1000mm is 75mm
• Max load of 355kg on standard panel of 1000mm x 1000mm

DID YOU KNOW ?

• Toughened glass can only be drilled or edge worked in specialized manner, after toughening.
• Sandblasting or other surface treatments should be carried out prior to toughening .
• Deep sandblasted patterns greater than 1mm are not permissible

Epoxies and sealants

The epoxy used to secure the glass into the steel channels and recessed grooves, needs to be of the absolute best quality to ensure a proper and lifelong grip. For all general purposes, the epoxy used must be waterproof as well.

For all recessed and channel mounted balustrade, we use a quick set epoxy called Durarep QS manufactured by ABE. For the floor clamps and extremely windy applications on recessed and channel mounted balustrade, we use an epoxy called Epidermix 395 manufactured by ABE.

After installation of recessed and channel mounted balustrade, the epoxy can be painted with a waterproof paint called Everbond manufactured by Struttabond. This will enhance the waterproofing.